NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 19 July 2016

The SpaceX Dragon is chasing the International Space Station and the Expedition 48 crew is getting ready for its approach and capture Wednesday morning. This follows Monday evening’s rendezvous and docking of the Progress 64 resupply ship from Roscosmos.
Dragon is delivering several science experiments including a DNA sequencing study and the Heart Cells investigation. The private space freighter is also carrying one of two International Docking Adapters. The adapters will enable future crewed vehicles from Boeing and SpaceX to dock to the space station.

The research, hardware and other supplies stowed inside Dragon total nearly 5,000 pounds. Dragon will be robotically attached to the Harmony module after astronauts Jeff Williams and Kate Rubins capture it with the 57.7 foot long Canadarm2. This will be the second cargo mission to arrive at the station in less than two days.

The Progress arrival Monday night brought more than three tons of food, fuel and supplies for the Expedition 48 crew. Progress automatically docked to the Pirs docking compartment after launching Saturday evening from Kazakhstan.

Williams, Rubins and Flight Engineer Takuya Onishi prepared for the Dragon’s arrival on Tuesday and participated in a variety of research and maintenance activities. The three cosmonauts Oleg Skripochka, Alexey Ovchinin and Anatoly Ivanishin slept in Tuesday after a long day Monday preparing for the Progress delivery.

On-Orbit Status Report

64 Progress (64P) Docking: 64P docked successfully to the ISS Docking Compartment (DC)-1 nadir port last night at 7:22PM CDT. Following hatch opening the crew transferred early unstow and US cargo items.

Skin-B Operations: The crew performed Corneometer, Tewameter and Visioscan measurements on his forearm for this experiment. The Corneometer measures the hydration level of the stratus coreum (outer layer of the skin), the Tewameter measures the skin barrier function, and the Visioscan measures the skin surface topography. Skin B is a European Space Agency (ESA) investigation that aims to improve the understanding of skin aging, which is greatly accelerated in space. The data will also be used to verify the results from previous testing for the SkinCare investigation on the ISS.

Cardio Ox Ultrasound Operations: With remote guidance from the Cardio Ox ground teams, the crew conducted an ultrasound scan after configuring the VOX, attaching the ECG Electrodes, and marking the arteries followed by blood pressure measurements using the Cardiolab Holter Arterial Blood Pressure Unit. The goal of the Cardio Ox investigation is to determine whether biological markers of oxidative and inflammatory stress are elevated during and after space flight and whether this results in an increased, long-term risk of atherosclerosis risk in astronauts. Twelve crewmembers provide blood and urine samples to assess biomarkers before launch, 15 and 60 days after launch, 15 days before returning to Earth, and within days after landing. Ultrasound scans of the carotid and brachial arteries are obtained at the same time points, as well as through 5 years after landing, as an indicator of cardiovascular health.

Human Research Program (HRP) Generic Urine and Frozen Blood Collection Double Spin: The crew continued HRP operations by collecting urine samples for a 24-hour period, configuring the Refrigerated Centrifuge for sample load operations, then collecting and processing a set of blood samples for double spin operations using the Refrigerated Centrifuge. The samples will be stowed in the Minus Eighty-degree Freezer for ISS (MELFI).

Personal Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Monitor Installation and Operations: Before performing data collections from the Personal CO2 Monitor, the crewmember first performed a single point calibration of the Personal CO2 Monitor using the iPad app and readings from the minimum circuit amps (MCA) sample port. The Personal CO2 Monitor was then paired to the iPad, before being attached to the crewmember’s clothing, and worn for several hours. The data collected will be uploaded to the Space Station Computer via the iPad app before being powered off and stowed. The Personal CO2 Monitor demonstrates a system capable of unobtrusively collecting and downlinking individual crew members’ CO2 exposure for weeks to months. This investigation evaluates wearability principles in microgravity and also demonstrates Modular Wearable Architecture Base Board, allowing rapid certification of future wearable devices.

Marrow Blood, Breath, and Ambient Air Sample Collection: Upon waking this morning, the crew took breath and ambient air samples to measure carbon monoxide concentration for the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) Marrow experiment which investigates the effect of microgravity on human bone marrow. It is believed that microgravity, like long-duration bed rest on Earth, has a negative effect on bone marrow and the blood cells that are produced in the marrow. The extent of this effect and its recovery are of interest to space research and healthcare providers on Earth.

Space Headaches: The crew completed a European Space Agency (ESA) Space Headaches questionnaire to provide information that may help in the development of methods to alleviate associated symptoms and improvement in the well-being and performance of crew members in space. Headaches during space flight can negatively affect mental and physical capacities of crew members which can influence performance during a space mission.

Minus Eighty Degree Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI) 2 & 3 Nitrogen (N2) Pressure Checks: The crew completed nitrogen checks on MELFIs 2 and 3 to verify that the nitrogen pressure in both MELFIs is within acceptable range. The MELFI is a cold storage unit that maintains experiment samples at ultra-cold temperatures throughout a mission. It supports a wide range of life science experiments by preserving biological samples (such as blood, saliva, urine, microbial or plant samples) collected aboard ISS for later return and analysis on Earth.

Today’s Planned Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.

HABIT Task Video End
Water Resource System (WRS) – Distillate Sample Inspection
HRF- Blood collection setup
WRS Maintenance
CARDOX Material Review
MARROW Breath And Ambient Air Sample Setup
WRS Maintenance
HRF Urine Sample Collection
HRF Urine Sample MELFI Insertion
Water Resource System (WRS) Distillate Sample Inspection
ISS HAM RADIO Deactivation
USOS Window Shutter Closure
CORRECTSIYA. Logging Liquid and Food (Medicine) Intake / r/g 2811
Closing window 6,8,9,12,13,14 shutters/ r/g 6965
MPEG2 Multicast Video Streaming Test
Preparation for Progress 433 Docking / Motion Control and Navigation System r/g 2812
Progress 433 Docking to DC1 / Motion Control and Navigation System (????) r/g 2812
Comm Reconfig for Nominal Ops after Docking / Communications System [???]
Activation of MPEG2 Multicast TV Monitoring
On MCC Go Activation of MPEG2 Multicast Recording Mode on CP SSC
CASKAD. ???-? No.4 Activation at + 04 deg ? setting / r/g 2806
CORRECTSIYA. Logging Liquid and Food (Medicine) Intake / r/g 2811
Close Applications and Downlink MPEG2 Multicast Video via OCA / Communications System [???]
PRODUTSENT. Activate thermostat at +30 deg C setting / r/g 2807
On MCC Go Progress 433 and DC1 Interface Leak Check / IRS Activation/Deactivation
DC1-?? Hatch Opening / IRS Activation/Deactivation
On MCC Go Opening of Progress-?? Transfer Hatch
Installation of Quick Release Screw Clamps (???) on DC1-Progress 433 Interface
Deactivation of Progress 433 (DC1), Air duct Installation
Progress 433 (DC1) Air Sampling using ??-1? sampler r/g 2810
Photo of a scuffmark left by the Active Docking Mechanism Probe on DC1 ??? Receiving Cone after Progress 433 Docking / r/g 2688
Downlink Photos of Docking Cone Internal Surface via OCA
IDENTIFICATION. Copy ???-? micro-accelerometer data to laptop / r/g 1589
Progress 433 (DC1) Early Unstow and US Cargo Items Transfers and IMS Ops / r/g 2834, 2835, 2836
MARROW Air Samples
HRF Urine Sample Collection
HRF Urine Sample MELFI Insertion
PRODUTSENT. Hardware transfer from Progress and setup in ???-? r/g 2820
BIOPLENKA. Hardware Transfer from ??? to SM and Setup in Thermostat r/g 2817
HRF Activation of Centrifuge and blood collection operator assistance
PRODUTSENT. Photography / r/g 2821
HRF Blood Draw (Operator)
CASKAD. Progress Transfers / r/g 2818
FAGEN. Kit transfers from Progress / r/g 2814
HRF – Centrifuge 1 Configuration
CASKAD. Bioreactor Setup in Thermostat at +4 deg C / r/g 2818
Reading CEVIS REMINDER
FAGEN. MCK Kit No.4 Setup in ???-? No.4 r/g 2814
CASKAD. Photography / r/g 2819
IMS Delta File Prep
STRUKTURA. Luch-2 Transfer from Progress / r/g 2815
HRF Centrifuge 2 Configuration
STRUKTURA. Process Activation and Stowage r/g 2815
HRF Urine Sample MELFI Insertion
STRUKTURA. Photo during the Experiment and at Exposure Location / r/g 2816
USND2 Unit Activation
USOS Window Shutter Closure
HRF Blood sample removal in preparation for cold stowage insertion
HRF Urine Sample MELFI Insertion
CARDOX Setup Ops
CARDOX – Scanning
CORRECTSIYA. Logging Liquid and Food (Medicine) Intake r/g 2811
Hematocrit Hardware Setup r/g 2813
CARDOX Scan (Operator)
On-orbit hearing assessment using EARQ
Connecting UPA) SPA CWC-I
Installation of Personal CO2 Monitor iPad Application
CARDOX – Battery Installation
CARDOX Measurements
PAO Hardware Setup
CARDOX Blood Pressure Operations
CARDOX – Experiment (Subject)
HRF Closeout Ops
CARDOX Ultrasound Ops, Operator
PCO2M. Calibration of monitor sensor
CARDOX Blood Pressure Operations Closeout
Crew Prep for PAO
HRF Equipment stowage after sample collection
PAO Event
PCO2M-MULTIDEV-DON
SKNB Hardware Setup and Measurement Initiation
Iodized Water Sampling
MELF2- Pressure Monitoring
Gathering Centerline Berthing Camera System (CBCS) and Vestibule Outfitting Kit Equipment
WRS Water Sample Analysis
Crew time for ISS adaptation and orientation
HMS Defibrillator Inspection
USND2 Hardware Deactivation
Crew time for ISS adaptation and orientation
ISS HAM RADIO Power Up
Dragon Transfers Review
HAM radio session from Columbus
Space Headaches Weekly Questionnaire
Dragon Cargo Operations Conference
MELF3 Pressure Monitoring
Crew time for ISS adaptation and orientation
HMS ISS IMAK Unpack from Soyuz 731
Photo/TV, Camcorder Activation Check
TOCA Data Recording
Ghost Camera Setup
PCO2M Data Gathering
CEVIS Video Stow
PCO2M. Inspection by the crew
Space Headaches Weekly Questionnaire

Completed Task List Items
None

Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
Cardio Ox/Ultrasound support
Nominal ground commanding.

Three-Day Look Ahead:
Wednesday, 07/20: SpX-9 berth, Dragon Vestibule outfitting, Circadian Rhythms
Thursday, 07/21: Dragon ingress, Mouse Epigenetics reconfig and setup, Heart Cell CO2 insert, NanoRacks Module 9 hardware retrieval, Polar and DCB transfers
Friday, 07/22: Polar 3 hardware install, Heart Cells media change, Biological Rhythms 48 start Circadian Rhythms, OBT Dragon emergency review

QUICK ISS Status – Environmental Control Group:
Component – Status
Elektron – On
Vozdukh – Manual
[???] 1 – SM Air Conditioner System (“SKV1”) – On
[???] 2 – SM Air Conditioner System (“SKV2”) – Off
Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Lab – Standby
Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Node 3 – Operate
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Lab – Idle
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3 – Operate
Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) – Standby
Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) – Standby
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab – Off
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 – Full Up